Let It RAIN: A Grounded Practice for Emotional Well-Being

In moments of emotional upheaval, our instinct is often to shield ourselves. To armour up. To stay safe at all costs. And while this instinct once protected us from danger, in daily life it can quietly block our ability to feel, connect or move forward.

So what can you reach for instead of the old shields?

You can let it RAIN.

RAIN is a mindfulness-based framework that offers a compassionate, step-by-step path through challenging emotions. It doesn’t ask you to bypass your feelings or force positivity. It asks you to stay—with presence, with curiosity and with care.

This practice is especially helpful for creatives, whose emotional lives are deeply entwined with their work. When you feel stuck, overwhelmed or disconnected from yourself, RAIN helps you pause and return—to your body, to your truth, to your own resilience.

I’ve adapted the traditional RAIN model into RAINS to add a key final step: Self-care. Because emotional wellness isn’t only about understanding your experience. It’s about honouring it with action.

R – Recognise

Begin by naming what you’re feeling. This may sound simple but it’s powerful. Emotions are often felt before they’re understood. By identifying what’s present—I feel overwhelmed, I’m anxious, I’m sad—you create a moment of separation. Not to disconnect, but to bring awareness.

You are not your emotions. You are the one witnessing them.

A – Acknowledge and Accept

This is where gentleness is vital. Can you acknowledge what is true for you right now, without rushing to fix it or push it away?

Acceptance is not about resignation. It’s about making space. It’s the internal exhale that says: This is what’s here. And it’s okay to feel this.

That acceptance often begins to soften what was tight. You may notice your breath deepens or your body unclenches. That’s your nervous system responding to your kindness.

I – Investigate

Here’s where coaching curiosity comes in. What does this feeling want you to know? What’s underneath the surface? This isn’t about self-analysis—it’s about inner listening.

You might ask:

What triggered this emotion?
What story am I telling myself right now?
What do I need that I’m not receiving?

Let your body answer as much as your mind. Investigation invites a gentle widening of perspective—one that can dissolve the intensity of the emotion and reveal the need beneath it.

N – Non-Attachment

This step is a quiet liberation. You are not your thoughts. You are not your fear. These are passing states, not permanent truths.

When you remember this, even in fleeting moments, you create freedom. You begin to experience your emotions without becoming consumed by them. This space allows you to reconnect with your deeper values—what matters beyond this moment—and take aligned action from there.

S – Self-Care

And finally, return to the body. To rest. To nourishment. To connection.

Self-care isn’t a luxury. It’s your emotional grounding. It might look like going to bed earlier, stepping away from your phone, reaching out to someone safe, journalling for ten minutes or drinking water with intention.

Let it be real. Let it be small. Let it be enough.

Self-care is how we integrate emotional processing into sustainable living. It says, My needs matter. I matter. And that message ripples into everything you create and everyone you care for.

This practice, like all good things, takes time. But even on the hardest days, it offers a way back to yourself. A way to feel without drowning. To care without losing centre. To honour your emotional world as part of your creative power—not an obstacle to it.

You are not behind. You are right on time.

Let it RAIN. And let your healing make space for what’s next.

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